


Blueprint for Friendship

by gingayellow



Category: Power Rangers Wild Force
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 09:30:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17302094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingayellow/pseuds/gingayellow
Summary: At the beginning of his Ranger career, Max's goals are simple: prove himself, and make a friend. [Max/Danny, pre-series]





	Blueprint for Friendship

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rivulet027](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rivulet027/gifts).



Title: Blueprint for Friendship  
Fandom: Power Rangers Wild Force  
Characters/Pairing: Max Cooper/Danny Delgado  
Rating: G  
Disclaimer: Not mine, anything mentioned here by name isn't mine  
Warnings: None  
Notes: Pre-series. Written for Rivulet027, and I hope you like it!

\--

The new guy's crying again. 

And wow, but it would be cool if Max knew want to do about it. Everyone else on the team seems to have it together (well, more than him at least). Taylor is former military. Alyssa is brilliant and a black belt. As for himself, okay, he's still new at this, but. He's going to prove himself. He'd been pretty happy when Princess Shayla told them that she'd found the Ranger for the Iron Bison. Maybe it'd be someone more on his level. Someone he could commiserate with--and work with. Another thing about Taylor and Alyssa is that while they were nice enough, they both had their own lives and ways of doing things. He wasn't expecting a best friend forever (not when the stakes were this high, not when the mission came first), but just a friend would suffice. 

But it'd been a week, and it seemed like this poor guy just cried at everything. 

"Listen," he stops when he realizes he didn't know what his name was. Doug? David? Oh, right. "Danny. How 'bout we go do something not Ranger orientated for a change?

Danny sniffles. "But Taylor said--"

"What Taylor doesn't know won't hurt us." Max shrugs. "'Sides, what's the point of protecting the Earth if we can't be part of it?"

Danny still looks sad, but he's calmed down. "I guess that makes sense."

"That's right. I am the most sensible Ranger after all." Now was the time to establish himself as awesome in the eyes of the new guy (that's how friendship works, right?). "Now c'mon. Let's go before the others realize that we snuck out."

\--

Before, his first choice would have been to go to the bowling alley. But now there were too many memories there for Max to feel comfortable, so he opts for the first local burger place he found--until Danny looks queasy (yeah, maybe asking the Iron Bison to eat cows was a bad idea), so he finally settles on a pizza restaurant. It was a little run down, but the pizza and the soda was cheap. That's all Max asked for. And maybe, hopefully, some friendly company as well.

"So, um, what did you do before you were chosen to become the Surging Shark Ranger?"

Okay, not that friendly. "I. I don't want to go into the fine details."

Danny gulps, then looks away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"

"You didn't do anything, I promise." Max tries to think of a way to salvage this afternoon."

But Danny isn't listening to him. "I keep messing up... I can't keep up on missions, and I'm messing up on making a friend--"

Oh.

Danny wants a friend as well?

Well, now Max really, really has to fix things. "Danny. This is not a mission." He pats Danny's hand. "We're just two guys unwinding after a long week of heroism."

Danny looks at him, for only a moment, then he is back at staring at what is left of his pizza. "You're the only hero at this table."

Those words do wonders for Max's self-esteem that he will never be able to fully articulate. But right now... he wants to make Danny feel better. That's all. 

"Being a hero isn't just about being brave," and wow, he's stealing this from every cartoon he's watched as a kid, but there's a reason why those words still stick in his mind. "It's about doing what's right, even if you're not immediately perfect at it. Even if if you're scared. Even if you get knocked down a few times. You just... have to get back up." Max shrugs. "That's what I believe, at least."

Danny gives Max his first real smile since... since they first met, Max realizes. "Thank you, Max. That makes me feel better." His grin widens. "That, and the pizza."

Well. Whaddya know. Max has made himself a friend.

But it's more than that. Danny isn't the best fighter ever, but he's best person Max has ever met. He's kind and gentle and wants to help others--he is exactly what Max signed up to protect when he became a Power Ranger. Danny is going to be a great Ranger--he just needs someone to help him become confident enough to realize that, that's all.

So he's going to stay by Danny's side, and protect him as they protect the Earth together. 

Danny smiles at Max again. "Want to get a doggy bag? There's no way we can finish this here, but I never say no to pizza leftovers."

And there's another reason why they're destined to become best friends. "Definitely."


End file.
